Career Development Award

Research Program

Funded by the American Academy of Neurology

The American Academy of Neurology is pleased to announce a three-year award to support junior investigators interested in an academic career in neurology.

The 2025 application period is now closed. Recipients will be notified in January 2025.

The award provides support of $150,000 per year for three years for a total of $450,000. Recipients of individual K or R awards are not eligible to apply for the Career Development Award (CDA). Applicants are allowed to apply for the AAN CDA and other federally funded career development awards (including NIH K awards and VA CDAs) or other career development awards supported by foundations of a similar scope simultaneously. To be eligible to apply for this award, the applicant’s other grant source(s) cannot exceed $150,000 annually.

Download a printable version of the RFA

The American Academy of Neurology is firmly committed to embracing the diversity among our members, applicants, and reviewers and affirms the importance of equity and inclusiveness within the AAN research program.

Please only submit one application. Applicants for the Career Development Award cannot be considered for any other AAN Research Program grants.

Visit Frequently Asked Questions for more information. 

Important Dates

  • September 10, 2024: Application deadline – Note that this is the deadline for all documents, including those from the mentor and chair. Applications will be declined if this information is not submitted by September 10.
  • January 2025: Notification of recipients
  • July 1, 2025: Funding begins

Eligibility

  • This award is for junior investigators interested in an academic career in clinical, basic, or translational neurological research.
  • Recipient must be a neurologist and an AAN member interested in an academic career in neurological research who completed residency between 5-10 years prior to the start date of the Career Development Award (July 1, 2025). If you have completed both residency and a PhD, your eligibility is based on when you completed residency. If you completed a fellowship of any kind after residency, your eligibility is still based on the date you finished residency.
  • Applicants at accredited US and international institutions are eligible.

Evaluation and Selection

Applications are evaluated by reviewers based on the following criteria:

  • Quality and originality of the research plan
  • Applicant’s ability and promise as a clinician-scientist based on prior record of achievement and career plan, and NIH Biosketch
  • Quality and nature of the training to be provided and the mentor-specific, departmental, and institutional training environment
  • Innovation of the research plan approach
  • Project significance: the ability to progress the field or solve an important problem

A successful application should include:

  • Well-developed hypothesis: The hypothesis is testable and presented in clear language.
  • Detailed statistical plan: Statistical methods are well-designed and detailed.
  • Strong mentorship: There is a clear demonstration of strong mentorship to support the project.
  • Feasible primary outcomes: Each aim is feasible, focused, and logical.
  • Innovation: Project concept is original, novel, and will advance the applicant's long-term career goals. 
  • Well-defined training plan: There is a clear and gap-based career development plan. 

Required Attachments for Applications

  1. PDF of Six-page Research Plan, including brief statements of aims, background, contemplated approaches to methodology, and any supporting preliminary data/figures. References do not count toward the page limit. The research plan should be written by the applicant and should represent their original work. However, the applicant is expected and encouraged to develop this plan based on a discussion with the proposed mentor. It is appropriate, but not required, for the proposed work to be specifically related to the mentor’s ongoing research.
  2. PDF of applicant’s NIH Biosketch. See the most recent NIH Biosketch template
  3. Budget
  4. Personal statement from the applicant that outlines accomplishments to date and future career goals.

    Once the above information is fully completed and submitted by the applicant:
  5. The chair will receive an email with a link asking them to check a box confirming that the applicant’s clinical service responsibilities will be restricted to no more than 30 percent of their time and include a list of the applicant’s non-research-related service. The chair will NOT be asked to submit a letter.
  6. The mentor will receive an email with a link to submit a letter of reference detailing his or her support of and commitment to the applicant and the proposed research and training plan. The letter should be 1,000 words or less and specifically indicate the mentor’s role in the development and preparation of the applicant’s research plan and should include:
    1. How the proposed research fits into the mentor’s research program
    2. Expertise and experience in the area of research proposed and the nature of the mentor’s proposed time commitment to the supervision and training of the applicant
    3. Mentor’s prior experience in the supervision, training, and successful mentoring of clinician-scientists
    4. Potential for applicant’s future research career and comparison of applicant among other residents
    5. Institution's commitment to 70 percent protected research time
  7. The mentor will also be required to upload an NIH Biosketch.

Questions?

For more information or questions, please contact Michelle Maxwell at research@aan.com or (612) 928-6001.